Melbourne tram route 12

The current iteration of Route 12 (Victoria Gardens – St Kilda) began operation on 27 July 2014 following the cessation of Route 112 (and to an extent Route 24), and commencement of full-time running for Route 11. The first ever use of the route number 12 was on the West Preston to St Kilda Beach service from 21 November 1929. At the time the North Fitzroy cable tram was yet to be electrified, and so all Preston services ran via Holden and Swanston Streets to the southern suburbs. However, when the line from St Georges Road to Collins Street was electrified on 27 October 1930, Route 12 was left unallocated for several years. When the South Melbourne cable tram line was electrified on 25 July 1937, Collins Street services could now run through to South Melbourne or St Kilda, and Route 12 was allocated to the line between South Melbourne Beach and the intersection of Collins and Gisborne Streets. For a long time, some Route 12 services would continue northwards towards West Preston via Brunswick Street under Route 10. Eventually, the elimination of shared depot routes on 30 April 1995 led to Route 10 becoming discontinued.[3]

Trams from Collins Street initially turned right at Clarendon Street to terminate at South Melbourne Beach, while trams from Swanston St terminated at St Kilda Beach. On 13 September 1953, this was amended so that both tram services ran through the junction, resulting in St Kilda Beach becoming the terminus of route 12. On 3 July 1973, a siding was constructed at Brunswick Street (later St Vincents Plaza), which enabled Route 12 to terminate there instead of the busy crossover at Gisborne Street.[3] Following the creation of Route 112 in April 2000, Route 12 became a peak hour only service. However, the peak-hour service was deemed unnecessary for the low-density and affluent suburbs in which it ran and on 18 November 2002, Route 12 was discontinued. It was then allocated as a short working for Route 16 trams terminating at Malvern Depot from 2004.[4] On 27 July 2014, Yarra Tram's desire to discontinue all peak-hour services led to Route 24 and Route 112 to be discontinued, and Route 12 taking its place between Victoria Gardens and St Kilda.[2]

The origins of route 12 lie in separate tram lines. The oldest section of track along Spencer Street between Collins and Flinders Street was part of Richmond cable tram line (Melbourne's first ever cable tram line). It opened on 11 November 1885. This section was electrified on 14 July 1927. The following year, Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company (MTOC) opened the North Fitzroy Line between Spencer Street (Stop 1) and St Vincent's Plaza (Stop 12) on 2 October 1886. It was electrified on 8 December 1929.[3] The line east of St Vincents Plaza opened later that year as the Victoria Bridge line on 22 November 1886. This section was electrified on 15 September 1929. Meanwhile, the South Melbourne cable tram line makes up today's Route 12 between City Road (Stop 126) and Park Street (Stop 129), and was first opened on 17 June 1890. That section along with the line between City Road and Flinders Street (near Stop 124) was electrified and opened on 25 July 1953. Meanwhile, the line between Park Street and St Kilda Beach was constructed by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board on 30 October 1930.[3]

The original terminus St Kilda Beach services via South Melbourne diverted at Mary Street (Stop 142) and turned left at Beaconsfield Parade to meet the tracks at Fitzroy one block south of the current terminus. The junction was double-tracked so that some services would run further towards Luna Park. However, this rarely eventuated. The Mary Street tracks were replaced by the current day terminus at Park Street on 13 November 1959.[3]

Route 12 trams are operated out of Southbank depot.[2]

Map

Route 12
Victoria Gardens - St Kilda (Fitzroy Street) via Richmond, City & South Melbourne Free tram zone covers stops 124 to 8, fare zone 1 applies from stop 10 to 24, 143 to 124A
Suburb Street Stop No. Victoria Gardens Connections Richmond Victoria Street 24 Victoria Gardens 109 23 Leslie Street 22 McKay Street 21 Church Street 78 Church Street Tram 78    Balaclava 20 Lennox Street 19 North Richmond station North Richmond station ●● East Melbourne Victoria Parade 18 Hoddle Street Hoddle Street buses 16 Wellington Street 15 Smith Street 13 Lansdowne Street St Vincent's Plaza Siding Brunswick Street Tram 11     West Preston 12 St Vincent's Plaza Victoria Parade Tram 30     Central Pier   Gisborne Street 11 Albert Street   Macarthur Street 10 Parliament station Parliament station ●●●●●●●●●●●●●● Spring Street Tram 48, City Circle Wellington Parade   Nicholson Street Melbourne CBD Collins Street 8 Spring Street 48, City Circle 7 101 Collins Street 605 Swanston Street Tram 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72 St Kilda Road   Melbourne University 6 Town Hall 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72 Elizabeth Street Tram 19, 57, 59 Flinders St station   North Melbourne 5 Elizabeth Street 19, 57, 59 3 William Street 58; Queen Street buses William Street Tram 58 Toorak   West Coburg 1 Southern Cross station 11, 48, 96 Southern Cross station ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●●●●●●●●● Spencer Street Tram 96     Bourke Street Collins Street Tram 11, 48     Victoria Harbour Flinders Street Tram 70, 75, City Circle Russell Street   Docklands Flinders Street Viaduct   Spencer Street 124 Batman Park 70, 75, City Circle Southbank Clarendon Street 124A Casino/MCEC 96, 109 St Kilda/Port Melbourne Light Rail Tram 96, 109     Clarendon Street Junction South Melbourne Clarendon Street 126 City Road 234, 236 127 York Street 128 Dorcas Street 129 Park Street 1 Park Street Tram 1 East Coburg   South Melbourne Beach 130A Raglan Street 130 Albert Road Albert Park Albert Road 131 Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre St Kilda Light Rail Tram 96 (no connecting stop) St Kilda Beach   Clarendon Street Junction 132 Canterbury Road Middle Park Mills Street 133 Canterbury Road 134 Carter Street 135 Richardson Street 606 136 Danks Street Albert Park Siding   Danks Street 137 Harold Street 138 Armstrong Street 606   Patterson Street 139 Langridge Street 140 Fraser Street St Kilda West Park Street 141 Cowderoy Street 142 Mary Street St Kilda Park Street 143 Fitzroy Street 3a, 16, 96; 606 Fitzroy Street Tram 3a, 16, 96 Melbourne University/Brunswick East   St Kilda Beach Suburb Street Stop No. St Kilda Connections
Note: Green denotes free tram zone

• Media related to Melbourne tram route 12 at Wikimedia Commons
• Route 12 timetable and map